Bengal govt begins survey for enumeration of Mahato community: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that her government has started a survey to enumerate the population of the Mahato community amid their long-pending demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Addressing an administrative programme here, she said her government would also write to the Centre seeking recognition of Sarnaism as a separate religion as being demanded by tribals, and asserted that if it is not given, she would start a massive demonstration.

Banerjee also said if the Centre does not clear the "dues" of the PM Awas Yojana by April 1, her government will build 11 lakh houses for the beneficiaries under the scheme.

"The Mahatos have a long-standing demand to declare them as STs. But, I will tell them that it is not in my hands. So, please do not blame me for it. I would like to inform you that we have started a geographical survey to find the actual percentage of the Mahato population in the state. We have over 6 per cent tribal population in West Bengal," she said.

Banerjee's announcements ahead of the Lok Sabha elections are seen as an effort to woo both Mahatos and tribals to consolidate her vote bank in the Jangal Mahal region in the state's western part, which was swept by the BJP in 2019.

The Bengal CM said she would look into the demands of the community, and make efforts to fulfil them.

"I don't want to create differences between the Mahatos and tribals, and don't want them to fight before the elections," she added.

Significantly, the BJP won all five Lok Sabha seats in 2019 in the Jangal Mahal region which has a note-worthy population of Kurmis, which also includes Mahatos and tribals.

Kurmis led massive demonstrations in parts of the state last year, along with neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha, demanding ST status.

At the programme, she went on to attack the BJP-led government in the Centre for holding back funds of central schemes for the state.

"We will wait till April 1 and if the Centre does not release the funds for the Awas Yojana, then our government will build the 11 lakh houses for the beneficiaries. There is no need to beg the Centre, remember we are not beggars. We are demanding our rights," Banerjee said.

She said that her government will be paying around 50 lakh MGNREGA workers whose "dues" were pending with the Centre.

"We are paying 50 lakh MGNREGA workers, and not 21 lakh. We took this number (21 lakh) from the Centre's portal, but now we are seeing that it is 50 lakh. In another couple of days, the transfer (of money) will be complete. We will ask the BJP government at the Centre why they have not paid the workers their dues," she said.

Banerjee had earlier announced that 21 lakh workers, who did not get the money from the Centre even after working for the 100-day work scheme during the last three years, would be paid by her government.

She staged a dharna in Kolkata earlier this month, claiming that the Centre owes the state thousands of crores of rupees on account of various welfare schemes, including the MGNREGA and the PM Awas Yojana.

She led a similar demonstration last year as well over the issue. Also, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, who is the CM's nephew, held an agitation in New Delhi and then sat on a dharna outside the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata over it.

Pointing to the legislations made by her government, Banerjee said that nobody will be able to "snatch" land from tribals.

Do not pay heed to the "false promises" of the BJP before the elections, she told the gathering.

At the programme, Banerjee announced a drinking water project worth Rs 2,515.51 crore for Purulia.

"Purulia has severe drinking water problems. So, we have decided on a drinking water project for Khura, Joypur, Jhalda 1 and 2, Kashibazar, Manbazar 1, Nituria, Para, Puncha, Purulia 1 and 2, Raghunath 1 and 2, and Saturi blocks. We have allocated Rs 2,51.51 crore for it," she said.